Ms. Stephanie

ABOUT the INSTRUCTOR

Stephanie Rihn, Certified ISR Instructor

Hi, I am Stephanie Rihn. I live in Castroville, Texas with my husband, Maurice. My husband is retired from his construction business and I am retired from my career as a registered nurse. We have 2 children and 5 grandchildren. One of our favorite things is spending time with our family. I was introduced to ISR Self-Rescue lessons when my grandson was a student. At the suggestion of my daughter, I watched one of my grandson's lessons and was so impressed with the skills he had learned at only 2 years old. He could swim and float to breath all on his own. I immediately realized that I wanted to teach these valuable skills to little ones to keep them safe.

I am now starting my 7th year teaching ISR and have taught hundreds of students including my four youngest grandchildren. I am very honored to serve my community by helping children become problem-solvers in the water so that "Not One More Child Drowns".

FAQs

Why don’t parents participate in the water during the lessons?

We do not want the baby to initially associate the water with the love, attention, and affection of the parent while in the water. Also, it takes incredible concentration and objectivity to teach the baby how to respond to an aquatic emergency and our experience shows that parents often find it too difficult to be objective to be effective teachers with their own children in the water. We gladly invite parents to join us in the pool once their child has independent skills to practice at home.

Can’t babies swim naturally?

Unfortunately, babies cannot naturally swim. If this were the case, there wouldn’t be so many drownings every year. According to the Center for Disease Control and Accident Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 in the United States.

Is it the baby fat that makes them float?

Actually, the primary factor in a baby’s ability to float is the ability to take air into the lungs. To maintain this access to air, the child must adjust his/her posture. The difference in positioning for an adult can be inches. For a baby, this adjustment is reduced to centimeters. If a child’s body posture is just a few centimeters off, it can make the difference between the face being submerged or the child having access to air.

Why does it take an average of 6 weeks for my child to learn this?

The 6-week average is an estimate that is based on the average time in which it takes most children to learn these survival skills. Every child is unique and ISR’s Self- Rescue program is specifically designed based on your child’s individual strengths and needs. It is important to realize that this is an average which means that some children will actually finish more quickly while others will need more practice. ISR is dedicated to safety and, therefore, we want to provide your child with the time and best opportunity to become proficient in his/her survival skills. We will always honor your child’s needs.

Contact Us

Click "Contact Us" to email the Instructor